spend about a week there, before we get bored. Then we’ll go to Amsterdam for a week.”
“Amsterdam?” Sebastien gave Clémence a wry look. “What trouble are you going to get up to there?”
“No trouble,” Clémence said. “Just innocent fun. No drugs, no prostitutes. Only bike riding and looking at windmills.”
Arthur laughed. “Since the Netherlands is so small, we’re going to check out a lot of cities around the country.”
“Sounds great,” Maya said. “Be sure to check out Utrecht. It’s so charming, and it’s got a great church.”
“It’s on our list,” Clémence. “And fingers crossed that no murders will follow us there.”
“Who knows,” Sebastien said. “Maybe the Dutch police can use your help over there.”
Clémence laughed. “I hope not. I mean, I really, really hope not. Summer’s not going to last for long. It’s already the second week of August! I want to enjoy it for once, and not have to chase after murderers and almost get killed in the process. I’m glad that bodyguards aren’t necessary anymore.”
“Well, I’m actually doubling as Clémence’s bodyguard these days,” Arthur said. “There’s a gym at my work, so I’ve been getting ripped for the position.”
He flexed his bicep, and Clémence groaned, smacking his arm down. “Oh, spare us.”
Two waiters came by with their entrées.
“There are no peanuts in these meals, right?” Clémence asked them for the second time, just to make sure.
“None whatsoever,” the waiter insisted.
“Thanks.”
Arthur squeezed her hand. Clémence knew she was being paranoid, but they understood. She suddenly felt a surge of happiness being with people she loved and enjoying their company. She had been so close to death, after all. But it was time to let any remnants of fear go, to fully enjoy the present.
“Come on,” Clémence said. “Let’s dig in.”
Madeleine Murder: Book 6 of The Patisserie Mysteries will be available soon. Be the first to hear about early bird discounts and new book releases by signing up for Harper Lin’s Newsletter .
Recipe #1: Classic Crème Brûlée
Crème brûlée is a classic French dessert of a custard topped with caramelized sugar. It’s easier to make than you think. You will need a mini blowtorch to caramelize the sugar. If you don’t have a mini blowtorch, I find that the crème brûlée also tastes delicious even without the crust.
Makes 4.
Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups heavy cream
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
4 large egg yolks
1/4 cup + 3 tsp granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
Adjust rack to center and preheat oven to 300°F. Bring a teakettle of water to boil. In a baking dish, put in 4 ramekins (5 or 6 oz., about 3 inches in diameter and 1.74 inches deep). The baking dish should be as deep as the ramekins.
Pour cream into a small saucepan. Bring the cream to a simmer over medium heat, then remove the pan from the heat. Cover and let it sit for about 10 minutes.
In a mixing bowl, combine 1/4 cup sugar, egg yolks, and salt by lightly whisking them together. Set aside.
Use a candy thermometer to check the temperature of the cream. Make sure it’s no higher than 165°F. If it is, let it cool to 165°F before the next step.
Lightly whisk 1/2 cup of the cream into the yolk mixture. Stir for about 30 seconds, to temper the yolks. Then gently whisk in the remaining cream, stirring for about 15 minutes. Do this lightly to make sure the mixture is not frothy. Stir in vanilla.
Place a fine sieve over a heatproof bowl. Pour the mixture through the sieve to strain out any solids.
Divide the mixture evenly among the 4 ramekins in the baking pan. There will be a bit over an inch of custard in each ramekin, and it shouldn’t come all the way to the rim.
Put the baking pan in the center of the oven. Put a piece of aluminum foil over the pan. Bake custards until center is slightly jiggly, like Jell-O, which can take from
“Amsterdam?” Sebastien gave Clémence a wry look. “What trouble are you going to get up to there?”
“No trouble,” Clémence said. “Just innocent fun. No drugs, no prostitutes. Only bike riding and looking at windmills.”
Arthur laughed. “Since the Netherlands is so small, we’re going to check out a lot of cities around the country.”
“Sounds great,” Maya said. “Be sure to check out Utrecht. It’s so charming, and it’s got a great church.”
“It’s on our list,” Clémence. “And fingers crossed that no murders will follow us there.”
“Who knows,” Sebastien said. “Maybe the Dutch police can use your help over there.”
Clémence laughed. “I hope not. I mean, I really, really hope not. Summer’s not going to last for long. It’s already the second week of August! I want to enjoy it for once, and not have to chase after murderers and almost get killed in the process. I’m glad that bodyguards aren’t necessary anymore.”
“Well, I’m actually doubling as Clémence’s bodyguard these days,” Arthur said. “There’s a gym at my work, so I’ve been getting ripped for the position.”
He flexed his bicep, and Clémence groaned, smacking his arm down. “Oh, spare us.”
Two waiters came by with their entrées.
“There are no peanuts in these meals, right?” Clémence asked them for the second time, just to make sure.
“None whatsoever,” the waiter insisted.
“Thanks.”
Arthur squeezed her hand. Clémence knew she was being paranoid, but they understood. She suddenly felt a surge of happiness being with people she loved and enjoying their company. She had been so close to death, after all. But it was time to let any remnants of fear go, to fully enjoy the present.
“Come on,” Clémence said. “Let’s dig in.”
Madeleine Murder: Book 6 of The Patisserie Mysteries will be available soon. Be the first to hear about early bird discounts and new book releases by signing up for Harper Lin’s Newsletter .
Recipe #1: Classic Crème Brûlée
Crème brûlée is a classic French dessert of a custard topped with caramelized sugar. It’s easier to make than you think. You will need a mini blowtorch to caramelize the sugar. If you don’t have a mini blowtorch, I find that the crème brûlée also tastes delicious even without the crust.
Makes 4.
Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups heavy cream
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
4 large egg yolks
1/4 cup + 3 tsp granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
Adjust rack to center and preheat oven to 300°F. Bring a teakettle of water to boil. In a baking dish, put in 4 ramekins (5 or 6 oz., about 3 inches in diameter and 1.74 inches deep). The baking dish should be as deep as the ramekins.
Pour cream into a small saucepan. Bring the cream to a simmer over medium heat, then remove the pan from the heat. Cover and let it sit for about 10 minutes.
In a mixing bowl, combine 1/4 cup sugar, egg yolks, and salt by lightly whisking them together. Set aside.
Use a candy thermometer to check the temperature of the cream. Make sure it’s no higher than 165°F. If it is, let it cool to 165°F before the next step.
Lightly whisk 1/2 cup of the cream into the yolk mixture. Stir for about 30 seconds, to temper the yolks. Then gently whisk in the remaining cream, stirring for about 15 minutes. Do this lightly to make sure the mixture is not frothy. Stir in vanilla.
Place a fine sieve over a heatproof bowl. Pour the mixture through the sieve to strain out any solids.
Divide the mixture evenly among the 4 ramekins in the baking pan. There will be a bit over an inch of custard in each ramekin, and it shouldn’t come all the way to the rim.
Put the baking pan in the center of the oven. Put a piece of aluminum foil over the pan. Bake custards until center is slightly jiggly, like Jell-O, which can take from
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